Oyster Stew, Our New Year Tradition

I just realized, when I was writing some journal entries about my mother, that the New Year tradition in her family was oyster stew on New Year's eve, either for breakfast or dinner. I thought, for the past few years, that it was on Christmas. While I wouldn't be too far off, my notes in my journals led me back down the right path.

I don't have a note card in mom's recipe boxes for oyster stew. Mom taught it to me, whether she realized it or not, when I was watching her in her kitchen on New Year's eve day in 2013. She told me her father used to purchase the oysters at a fish store in Roanoke, Virginia, when she was growing up, and he was the one who taught her how to make the stew.

The stew, which serves about four people, is really simple with just four ingredients:

1. 1-2 Pints of fresh shucked oysters in oyster "juice" (two pints if you love oysters)
2. 1 Quart of whole milk, no 2%, but you can try nut milks if you want, as long as they're as fatty as possible (half and half nut milk might work better, but I haven't tried them).
3. 1/4 Cup of butter, salted or unsalted
4. Salt and Pepper to taste

As you can see from the ingredients, this is a rich soup. Here's how to make it:

• First, drain the oysters over a sieve to catch any shell or debris in the juice. If the juice remains gritty, strain it through a double layer of cheesecloth.
• In a large saucepan or a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the oyster juice and slowly add the milk. Continue to cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture is steaming and bubbles begin to appear around the end of the pan. You do not want to scald or burn the milk, so keep an eye on this part of the process. 
• Turn the heat to low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Add the oysters and cook for only 2 more minutes, or until the oysters begin to curl. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

As you can see from the photo (from 2013), mom also added items like onion and garlic, and she added those ingredients when melting the butter. You can flavor to your taste, but dad and I always prefered the "plain Jane" version without the garlic and onions.

Don't allow this stew to sit out for more than two hours, or even in the fridge for more than a day. Make just enough to enjoy at one sitting if possible, as oysters can go bad quickly, even when they're cooked.

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